Welcome

Dear Broadway Association Friends and Colleagues,

The Broadway Association is New York’s first business improvement district, formed as The New York Times reported at the time, on May 7, 1911 – “for the promotion and protection of the mutual interests of the merchants and business men located along Broadway from Fourteenth Street to Columbus Circle and in the intersecting streets.”

In the century to follow, Broadway exploded with activity and verve. It acquired an attitude that was reinforced over time. There is no other avenue like Broadway with the brightest of bright lights, the sharpest of sharp colors, and the highest level of commercial energy in the world.

That did not happen by chance. Businessmen with foresight – and now businesswomen – made it that way. They carved out a brand, a distinct personality for Broadway, among the city’s many canyons. That attracted theater entrepreneurs, advertisers, and other businesses that made Broadway famous and unique.

The mission stated 100 years ago is as relevant today as it was back then. The responsibility to meet and surpass that mission falls upon our shoulders as watchdogs of the Broadway Association’s legacy. Working closely together with our public and private sector stakeholders, we know there is an even brighter future ahead for Broadway and the Big Apple as a whole with tourism in New York City at record highs and crime at record lows.

The history of Broadway – and of the Broadway Association – is nothing less than remarkable, and we look forward to working to preserve, protect and enhance the quality of life within the Midtown West community.

The Broadway Association

The Broadway Association, founded in 1911, is a not-for-profit business association devoted to the cultural and economic betterment of midtown west, which comprises the Broadway theater district. Our members include property owners, major corporations, hotels, advertisers, unions, civic associations, theater companies, developers, banks, law firms, airlines and publishers. The Association works together with other civic, cultural and business organizations and with the City to upgrade services in the Broadway Theater District, helping to foster the healthy climate that ushered in the development renaissance we currently enjoy.